Letter actuated tripping device in



J n 1952 w. J. HANSON LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPING DEVICE IN POSTAGEPRINTING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 7, 1946 M// J%ELEZZATTORNEY June 17, 1952 w. J. HANSON LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPING DEVICE INPOSTAGE PRINTING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 7, 1946 INVE TORf/y ATTORNEY I Patented June 17, 1952 LETTER ACTUATED TRIPPINGD-EVIGE INPOSTAGE PRINTING'MACHINES Walter J. Hanson, Port Chester, 1X, assignorto Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn a cor- *poration of DelawareApplicationlune'l, 194.6,SerialNo. 675,110

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a tripping mechanism for use in a postageprinting device, wherein the printing unit of said device effectsprinting by reciprocating means, and more specifically relates to letteractuated release means which is associated with a normally locked drivemechanism, and which is adapted to free said drive only when the letteris in correct position for the printing of a postage impression thereon.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide means to arrestthe normal operation of the drive mechanism and, through a trip memberconnected with the arresting means, provide an arrangement whereby theplacing of a letter in correct position for printing, will effectengagement of the upper edge of the letter with the trip member, therebymoving the trip member and effecting the consequent release of thearresting means relative to the drive.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a postage printing device with part broken awayand showing the parts which cooperate with the trip mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow2 of Fig. 1, with parts broken away and showing the trip and arrestingmechanism in a drive arresting position, also showing a portion of theprinting unit; and

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1, with the trip and drivearresting mechanism in a tripped or released position.

Within a casing II! a printing mechanism is provided, which comprises afixed impression member II and a movable platen I2, normally spacedapart as indicated in Fig. 2. Said platen member I2 is mounted at oneend of a lever l3, pivoted at [4, and is adapted to be moved upward to aprinting position with relation to the impression member II. The meansfor efiecting said upward movement comprises an actuator bar l5 having acam portion l6, which bar is adapted to be moved to the right, as viewedfrom Fig. 2, by the action of a lever ll, when said lever is rocked incounter-clockwise direction. Rocking of said lever 11 is effected bymeans of a crank [8 which is joined with a shaft I9, said shaft alsohaving the lever 11 secured thereto.

When the crank I8 is rocked, first in a counterclockwise direction, thenreturned, the cam portion [6 is drawn between a roller 2! on said leverl3, and another roller 22 on a spring tensioned lever 23. The effect ofsaid action will cause the platen to rise and move a letter, indicatedat L, against the impression member H to effect the printing of thepostage impression.

.2 For :f-urt'her detail in connection with said printing "operation,reference can be made to "Patent No. 2,344,609. 1

It is desirable that the postage impressionbe 'located at apredetermined position with relation to the upper and right edges of theletter. To obtain such accurate positioning, the right side of lettermust engage with a side stop 24 and the upper edge must engage a backstop 25. With regard to the side stop, the operator can see whether theletter is engaged therewith, but cannot see whether the upper edge ofthe letter engages the back stop. In view of the latter condition, tripmechanism is provided which will function only when the letter is inengagement with the back stop 25.

The trip mechanism comprises a lever 26, pivotally mounted on a pin 21,which pin is suitably supported within a wall 28. Said trip lever 26 hasan upwardly extending arm 29, with a letter stop portion 3| thereof,normally extended a predetermined distance in front of the back stop 25.Associated with said trip lever 26 is another lever 32, carried by a pin33, also supported by the wall 28. Said lever 32 has an elongatedopening 34 therein, which opening is engaged by a sidewardly bentprojection 35 of an arm 36, projecting from the trip lever 26.Projecting upwardly from the lever 32 is an arm 31, which is providedwith a sidewardly disposed lip 38.

Forming a part of the actuator mechanism is an actuator gear segment 39which is fixed to the shaft [9, and is adapted to be rocked in thedirection of the arrow during a cycle of operation. Said actuator gearsegment 39 has a portion thereof cut back to form a shoulder 4|, and isarranged so that the lip portion 38 of the lever 31 will be positioneddirectly in the path thereof to obstruct operation of the drive when themechanism is in a normal home position, as shown in Fig. 2. By means ofa light spring 42, coiled about the pin 33, and having its ends 43 and44 under tension and in engagement with the projection 35 of a triplever 26 and a lug 45 projecting from the base respectively, the letterengaging portion 3! and lip 38 are normally maintained in the paths ofthe letter and shoulder 4| respectively.

Upon inserting a letter to a printing position, the upper edge of theletter will engage with the letter stop portion 3| and cause said lever26 to be moved about its pivot 21. Rocking of the lever 32 is thusefiected to withdraw the lip 38 from the path of the shoulder 4!,thereby permitting the rotation of the actuator gear segment 39 and thenormal operation of the machine. After the printing cycle of operationhas been completed, the actuator gear is returned to its normalposition, as in Fig. 2, and the trip mechanism is returned to anactuator obstructing position under tension of the spring 42.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a postage printing device. a printing die member, a platen member,one of said members being reciprocable relative to the other, drivemeans including a drive shaft to eflect the operation of thereciprocable member, means to position a letter correctly relative tothe printing die member including a back stop arranged for engagement bythe upper edge of the letter and a side stop arranged for engagement bythe right hand edge of the letter, a letter actuated trip lever having aletter engaging portion normally positioned ahead of the back stopmember, an element fixed to the drive shaft and having a shoulder stopportion associated therewith, a drive arresting member connected withthe trip lever and having a lip portion normally urged into a drivearresting position relative to the shoulder stop portion, said letterengaging portion being adapted to be engaged by the upper edge of theletter and be moved thereby until that portion which is engaged by theletter becomes aligned with the backstop, whereupon the lip of the drivearresting member will have been moved to a nonarresting positionrelative to the shoulder portion.

' WALTER. J. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,596,967 Hansen Aug. 24, 19262,070,310 Ostler Feb. 9, 1937 2,084,098 Long June 15, 1937 2,087,315Bugg July 20, 1937 2,104,668 Persson Jan. 4, 1938 2,120,247 Funk June14, 1938 2,130,898 Ogden Sept. 20, 1938

